Disclaimer: This is a general citation for reference purposes. Please consult the most recent edition of your style manual for the proper formatting of the type of source you are citing. If the date given in the citation does not match the date on the digital item, use the more accurate date below the digital item.

Disclaimer: This is a general citation for reference purposes. Please consult the most recent edition of your style manual for the proper formatting of the type of source you are citing. If the date given in the citation does not match the date on the digital item, use the more accurate date below the digital item.

Disclaimer: This is a general citation for reference purposes. Please consult the most recent edition of your style manual for the proper formatting of the type of source you are citing. If the date given in the citation does not match the date on the digital item, use the more accurate date below the digital item.

This image is in the public domain and may be used freely. If publishing in print, electronically, or on a website, please cite the item using the citation button.

File Name

index.cpd

▼

Item Description

Title

Academics

Format (IMT)

image/jpeg

File Name

yearb_1994_099.jpg

Transcript

Gentics Prof
Wins Grant
Professor Deborah A. Kimbrell was awarded a $312,000 grant by the
American Cancer Society to study Drosophila. Photo by Cesra Alvarez
Cancer Society Backs Fruit Fly Study
Tiey have wings, six legs capabilities of the Drosophila has
and are no bigger than made it the laboratory choice
ants. These tiny fruit flies "guinea pig". Kimbrell said that
called Drosophilia are worht when blood cell functions of the
$312,000 inthe form of a grant to Drosophila are disrupted, turners
Dr. Deborah A. Kimbrell. begin to form. "The aim of our
Kimbrell, UH genetics work is to isolate and character-
professor, was
awarded the
grant by the
American Cancer
Society for human cancer studies. She said researching the immune system of
these fruit flies
can be very valuable, as there are
many similarities
to higher organisms, including
humans.
Although
Kimbrell is a native Texan, she
traveled alot during her youth. "I
moved around so
much that while I was an undergraduate, I got the realization
that my dorm was the dwelling
that I had lived in the longest in
my whole life," she said.
She graduated from Mills
The
tiny fruit fly
Drosophila
was worth
$312,000
to
Dr. Kimbrell
and
UH
ize the genes that
are involved in
defense and formation of tumors," she said.
Kimbrell had two
graduate and four
undergraduate
students aiding
her in research.
She said she had
too many people
that wanted to
work on the
project. The four
undergraduates
are all from
Kimbrell's genetics class.
Kirt Martin, one
of the students involved with the
research, said he enjoyed the
project. "The class was more interesting than I thought it would
be. It takes time. You had to
know what you were looking for.
I liked it," he said.
She also collaborated
College, an all-girl college in California. She later went on to the with colleges in Sweden on
University of California to complete her graduate studies and
received a Ph.D in genetics.
When she was in
Stockholm at a seminar on the
insect immunity of silk moths,
the idea of the research project
came about. "It really captured
Leishmaniasis, a skin disease
that is one of the top targeted
diseases by the World Health Organization.
"It comes from a parasite
called Leishmania. That parasite is carried by a sand fly. When
it bites a person and if it is in-
my attention. And the experi- fected, it injects the parasite un-
ence for using the fruit fly,
Drosophilia, literally just rolled
before my eyes," said Kimbrell.
The molecular genetics
der the skin. It can make a person very ill. Sometimes the illness can even lead to death," said
Kimbrell.
-Ivana Segvic
130
63)
John L. Bears, Dean College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Photo by Mark Lacy
Academics